News & Events

Burnley entrepreneur launches £50k scheme to find next business leaders

"I want to encourage a future generation of entrepreneurs as much as I can.”

From left, Year 10 students Mirisha Patel, Megan Frost, and Bethany Cunliffe, with New Call head of correspondence Jonny Sims, business development manager Jonny Wardrobe, CEO Nigel Eastwood, and Young Enterprise’s Jonathan Schofield

Burnley-born entrepreneur Nigel Eastwood has launched a £50,000 scheme to find the town’s next business leaders.

Mr Eastwood, chief executive of Nelson firm New Call Telecom Ltd, will work in conjunction with Young Enterprise and pupils at Blessed Trinity RC College over the next three years.

He will challenge students to make a profit from a £10 note, with all proceeds donated to the Catholic Aid For Overseas Development charity.

The ‘Tenner Challenge’ will see youngsters offered business tips and advice by Mr Eastwood, a former pupil of Barden High School, in Burnley.

Young Enterprise’s Jonathan Schofield said: “It’s their job to make their tenner grow.

“It’s a great opportunity for Blessed Trinity pupils to develop their business talents, whether it’s finance, marketing, or sales. We are pleased New Call are supporting this.”

Mr Eastwood, who launched the project with year seven and year 10 students last week, said: “We want to ignite the entrepreneurial flame and encourage this, and our link-up with Young Enterprise can help to do this in some small way.

“Education is a cornerstone of development and it’s a spring-board to many fantastic careers, and we want to encourage entrepreneurial vision to complement this.

“It’s exciting being in business, and there is never a day where I have not wanted to get out of bed and go to work.

“New Call is an internet company. I have created approaching 300 jobs in the last four years and have offices in Nelson, Lon-don and India.

“It’s my passion, and I want to encourage a future generation of entrepreneurs as much as I can.”

Blessed Trinity’s enterprise co-ordinator, Polly Clegg, said: “It’s the first time we have done the ‘Tenner Challenge’ and it’s an exciting opportunity for our year seven pupils, and I can’t wait to see what ideas they come up with.

“It’s about business, but it’s also something fun and will get the pupils working as a team.”